Folding chair



Patented Mar. 4, 1930 UNITED, STATES WALTER H. KENDALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING crmm Application filed October 29, 1928. Serial No. 315,823.

The present invention relates to folding chairs of a type commonly known as steamer or lawn chairs, and has for its principal object to provide a chair of this character which is substantially balanced on its supporting base and which may be readily tilted by the movement of the body of the person occupying the chair for supporting the per- I son in. either a horizontal or substantially upright position.

A still further object is to provide a chair of this character in which the parts entering into the construction thereof are reduced to a minimum, and which at the same time, re-

tains all of the desirable features in an article of this character, such as strength, lightness, and attractiveness in appearance.

An additional object is to provide an article of this character of a simple and practical construction, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which may be folded into a relatively small and compact form and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the special construction and combination of the various elements comprising the invention, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, formlng a part hereof, wherein:

Figure l'is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation. Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through one side of the chair taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, and illustrating the manner of pivotally attaching the arm to the back supporting member of the chair, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, through the supporting base at the forward end thereof and illustrating the manner of securing the opposite sides of the chair to each other. 4

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the invention comprises a chair of the type commonly known as steamer or lawn chairs, and composed of a pair of duplicate side members indicated generally at 5, each of the sidemembers being composed of a longitudinally extending base member 6, disposed horizontally and adapted to rest upon the ground 50 or other supporting surface, the forward and rearward end of each of the base members being secured in spaced parallel relation by a transversely disposed rod 7, having its ends reduced and seated in a recess formed in the base member. The rod 7 may be covered with a protectin sleeve 9 and the reduced end 8 is prevented from withdrawal from the base by means of a rivet or pin 10 extendin therethrough. Extending transversely t rough each of the base members 6 adjacent the forward end thereof is the pin 11 having one end extending outwardly from the outer side of the base and upon which is pivotally supported an upwardly and rearwardly inclined leg 12, the upper end of which is attached to the adjacent. end of the opposite leg 12 by a rod 13. Adjacent the rear end of the base 6 is a pair of plates 13 secured at opposite sides of the base by screws 14 and extending .upwardly above the upper edge of the base,

the upper ends of the plates 13 being disposed in spaced relation as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings and provided with a pivot pin 15 extending therebetween. The pivot pin 15 supports the rear end of a forwardly and upwardly inclined leg 16, and the legs 16 at each side of the chair being connected at their forward ends by a rod 17. The leg 12 is also provided with a pair of plates 18 attached at opposite sides thereof intermediate its upper and lower ends and with the upper portion of the plates disposed in parallel relation and between which there extends a pivot pin 19. The

pin 19 pivotally supports the rear end of an arm 20 which extends forwardly and is pivotally supported atits forward end upon a pin 21, extending outwardly from the outer side of the leg 16, adjacent its forward end. Thecanvas seat 22 is attached at its opposite ends to the rods 13 and 17 arranged at the upper ends of the legs 12 and 16. As clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the heads of the screws 14 and the pins 11, 15, 19 and 21 are counter-sunk in the sides of the respective sections of the chair so as to eliminate any sharp edges from protrudin therefrom and furthermore the heads of t e pins 19 and 21 are provided withwashers 22, counter-sunk in the sides of the chair whereby to prevent wear during the pivotal action thereof.

It will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 2 of the drawings, that the upper ends of the legs 12 and 16 are substantially balanced upon the base 6 so that their upper ends may be readily moved from a substantially horizontal to a vertical position by the movement of the body of the person occupying the chair. It will be observed that the same 20 is substantially equal in length to the distance between the lower end of the leg 12 and the pivot pin 19, so that the upper ends of the legs 12 and 16 may swing downwardly into a substantially longitudinally extending position for arranging the chair in folded position.

It is obvious that the invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and I accordingly claim all such forms .of the device to which I am entitled.

I claim:

A folding chair of the character described comprising a pair of spaced parallel horizontally disposed base members, connecting rods secured at their opposite ends to the end portions of the base members, a tubular guard sleeve mounted on one of the connecting rods, pairs of vertically extending brackets mounted on opposite side faces of the base members adjacent the rear ends thereof, pivot pins extending through the upper portions of the pairs of brackets, forwardly and upwardly inclined supporting legs mounted on the pivot pins at their lower ends and provided, at their upper ends with a horizontal connecting bar, a pair of rearwardly extending upwardly inclined legs of greater length than the first named legs, pivotally connected to the outer side faces of the base members adjacent the forward ends thereof, and intersecting the first named legs, the upper portions of the last named legs constituting a back support, pairs of laterally extending spaced brackets mounted on the last named legs in spaced relation to the base members, pivot pins extending through the pairs of brackets,

arms pivotally mounted on the pivot pin at 'one end and pivotally connected to the first named legs on the outer faces thereof and adjacent the forward end of said legs, a horizontal connecting bar secured to the-upper [end of the rearwardly extending legs, and a flexible seat and back element connected at its upper end to the connecting bars on the upper ends of the forwardly and rearwardly extending pairs of legs. V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. WALTER H. KENDALL. 

